Sukhbir Badal Seeks Compensation for Farmers After Paddy Is Swept Away in Fazilka Mandi

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday demanded immediate compensation for farmers whose paddy was swept away by heavy flooding at the Fazilka grain market. He also called for a special girdawari across Punjab to assess crop losses caused by heavy rainfall.

Badal said farmers had suffered substantial losses after a heavy downpour inundated the Fazilka mandi, submerging paddy heaps and washing away a large quantity of the harvested crop.

“The market was submerged in five to six feet of water, and a large amount of paddy that had arrived at the mandi was swept away,” he said.

He added that the paddy remaining in the market had been submerged for a prolonged period and was likely to have suffered damage. He urged the government to provide adequate compensation to affected farmers.

Blaming inadequate drainage facilities for the extent of the losses, the SAD president said the forecast of heavy rainfall should have prompted authorities to take precautionary measures to protect the crop lying in the mandi.

He called for immediate steps to improve drainage infrastructure in grain markets across the state to prevent similar losses during heavy rain.

Badal also demanded a comprehensive girdawari in all areas where paddy crops had been flattened by heavy rainfall. He sought advance compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre, referring to a commitment made by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Questioning the government’s response to previous crop losses, Badal asked the Chief Minister to explain why farmers had allegedly not received compensation for damage suffered over the past two years.

He said farmers had seen their crops destroyed by floods and hailstorms but had yet to receive compensation despite assurances from the government.